Economy

U.S. retail spending grew in August, boosted by back-to-school spending and attempts by consumers to make their purchases before tariffs take effect, according to the National Retail Federation. Total retail sales, not counting automobiles and gasoline, were up 0.5 percent month-over-month in August and up 6.8 percent year-over-year, the Washington, …

California exported nearly $16 billion worth of goods in July, a 6.4 percent year-over-year increase, according to data published recently. At the same time, U.S. exports rose by 3.7 percent, to $175.1 billion, raising California’s share of the national export trade two percentage points, to 9.1 percent, the U.S. Census …

The Inland Empire recorded an unadjusted unemployment rate of 6.4 percent in July, up from a revised six percent in June and above the 5.9 percent of exactly one year earlier, according to data released Aug. 15. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 6.1 percent for California and …

The Inland Empire’s steep drop in manufacturing in June was apparently an aberration, not the start of a bad trend. The region’s purchasing managers index in June was 56.9, a strong rebound from the 50 recorded in May according to the Institute of Applied Research and Policy Analysis at Cal …

Nationwide retail spending made a comeback in July, boosted by summer sales that were put into place before more tariffs begin to affect the price of some goods, according to the National Retail Federation. Retail sales last month were up 1.45 percent month-over-month and up 5.8 percent over last year, …

California exports declined slightly in June, according to a recent report. The state’s international merchandise trade was estimate at $15.6 billion during the sixth month of the year, a .08 percent drop recorded in June 2024, Beacon Economics in Los Angeles reported. During the same period, U.S. exports rose by …